Christmas Stresses and ADHD: My Yearly Vacation Meltdown
I know that I am not the only person experiencing Christmas stress and holiday breakdowns. I’m looking at you, ADHD brains.
Every year I tell myself that I will diligently get everything – trees, lights, cards, gifts – ready before December 25th. Last year I finished two out of four. Not bad. This year? Uh … where do I start?
Current status: Christmas lights
Half of my Christmas lights are on. (I found it too cold to install skylights this year.) Of course, I had to find a video from last year to help myself remember how I installed the rest of the lights. I tried putting more lights on this weekend but underestimated how much time I have. Then I couldn’t even get to it because my daughter tested positive for COVID-19 and is quarantined in our house while I live in another.
Current status: Christmas tree
The tree is standing, but without decoration. Every year I expect my kids, 21 and 27, to do it, but they have little interest in decorating unless I start. Of course there were other things too, so that I couldn’t even think of a single ornament.
Current status: Christmas cards
My Christmas cards are longingly waiting for me, but I keep getting distracted by my ADHD brain.
[Get This Free Download: Managing Your Time During the Holidays]
Where is my list?
Do I want to add a little newsletter?
Should i personalize it?
Do these cards need pictures on the front?
Oops, Christmas is approaching, I have to use general holiday cards (again) instead.
Grrr … I need vacation stamps. Going to the post office is as bad as going to the dentist.
You get the point.
Current status: Christmas gifts
My husband and daughter gave me their Christmas gift list last month with direct links to buy the items.
Just click on an item from the list and buy it!
[Read: It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas Decorating… Exploded In My ADHD House]
Lower Austria. If I do a quick research on the internet, I certainly find the articles for less.
It has to be on offer somewhere, right?
A week before Christmas I ask my son what he wants because I never got his list. Then I realize that there isn’t enough time to buy him anything before Christmas. He’ll get pictures in a box … again.
What about my brothers and sisters?
Do you bring me something?
Oops – I realize I haven’t given my list to anyone!
Ring in my Christmas meltdown
Three days before Christmas, my husband casually mentions that he would like a toaster and air fryer combo. So I ran with it. I visited five different websites and made a table with rankings and prices. Kohl’s sells one at 40% off, but the sale ends today!
I go to Kohl’s and after spending 30 minutes comparing prices and features of different air fryers, I learn that my preferred air fryer is out of stock. So I go to my car and try to order the air fryer on my phone using the Kohl app. But I don’t remember the password to the app, which means I can’t add my Kohl discount or use my Kohl credit card (for more savings).
I switch to the desktop version, in which my password is saved. But when I try to add the air fryer to my shopping cart, the website returns to the app and I’m back to the beginning.
Next, I try to look up my password using Google’s Saved Passwords feature, but the tech gods decide they need their own vacation hijinks and won’t let me in. My meltdown is starting to brew.
I race across the parking lot like I’m going at 90 mph, daring cops stop me as I speed home. I arrive home still focused on buying a hot air fryer for my husband and my laptop takes forever to turn on.
Then it happens: My annual Christmas meltdown comes. I start crying.
‘I HATE CHRISTMAS!’ I shout along with some non-holiday swear words.
Aftermath of the Christmas meltdown
Every year after my inevitable Christmas crisis, I vow to start planning for the November holidays and planning my commitments in advance. And every year my ADHD brain intervenes and chaos ensues again.
So, I share my frustrations to remind myself – and you – that we are not alone and that we are not complete failures. We may stumble upon and melt down Kohl’s bar and hot air fryers, but we’ll make it through the holidays just like every year.
Christmas stress: the next steps
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